While dental implants are great replacement teeth, not just anyone can get them. A patient must meet specific criteria to qualify for the posts; anything less would lead to treatment failure. Given that fact, you may want to know who counts as a good dental implant candidate. It so happens your Wakefield dentist can answer this question. To that end, here are four qualities you need to be a good candidate for modern dental implants.
Commitment to Oral Hygiene
Even though dental implants aren’t “real” teeth, good candidates for them must be committed to oral hygiene. The posts won’t help patients without this trait.
It comes down to how implants depend on good oral care. Because the posts must fuse with your jaw, they only remain secure when nearby teeth and gums are healthy. That means patients who neglect their smiles would put their treatment results at grave risk. Such people could develop serious oral issues, causing their implant posts to loosen and fail.
Lack of Drinking & Smoking
Proper candidates for dental implants also don’t drink or smoke excessively. Indeed, they need to refrain from alcohol and tobacco as best they can.
The truth is that drinking and smoking a lot can disrupt implant fusion. Having too much alcohol can lead to bone loss, which makes an implant hard to place. On the other hand, smoking increases your risk of gum disease – an issue that slows treatment recovery and causes implant failure. Indulging both habits is the worst scenario; doing so almost guarantees a failed treatment.
Healthy Gum Tissues
Any worthwhile dental implant candidate will have fairly healthy gums. As it turns out, these tissues are crucial for treatment to work in the long run.
Note that dental implants behave almost exactly like natural teeth. Since they fuse with your jaw, they depend as much on your gums to remain stable as your other pearly whites do. It follows that infected or inflamed gums would put your posts at risk; they could make your implants detach over time.
A Strong & Dense Jaw
Last but not least, candidates for dental implants need strong and dense jaws. Their new teeth won’t stay in place otherwise.
Dental implants anchor to your jawbone to work properly, as they depend on your jaw’s bone tissue to remain stable. However, that anchoring can’t occur if the jawbone is weak and lacks the proper density. A patient would instead find that their implants lack support and can’t stay in place.
Would you like to learn more about the qualities of a good dental implant candidate? If so, consult your dental provider for the details!
About the Practice
Schumacher Dental is based in Wakefield, MA. Led by Drs. Schumacher and Staniek, our practice always goes the extra mile to meet a patient’s smile needs. We thus offer comprehensive and tailored treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative dentistry. Whether you need a dental checkup or a dental implant, our team is here for you! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (781)-334-3400.